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100

This profession must complete continuing professional education every five years in order to maintain their certification.  

What is a licensed Pennsylvania educator? 

The continuing professional education can be in the form of six collegiate credits, six-credit of continuing professional education courses; 180 hours of continuing professional education course, programs, activities, or learning experiences; or any combination of the above equivalent to 180 hours. 24 P.S. § 12-1205.2(a)

100

Jim aspires to be a BlackJack dealer in a Pennsylvania Casino.  12 years ago, Jim pled guilty to a felony and has served his time.  Can Jim deal BlackJack in a Pennsylvania casino?

What is No. He is disqualified from receiving a gaming employee permit.

Section 1318 of the Gaming Act (4 Pa.C.S. §1318) requires a Board issued gaming permit to be a dealer in a casino (Gaming Employee).  Section 1213(2)(ii) of the Gaming Act prohibits the Board from granting a Gaming Permit or license to an individual who has been convicted in any jurisdiction of a felony offense or a misdemeanor gambling offense, unless 15 years  have elapsed from the date of conviction for the offense.

100

This Act, signed by Governor Wolf on July 2, 2019, allows for increased portability of out-of-state professional licensees coming to work in Pennsylvania.

What is Act 41? 

In addition to licensure by reciprocity and licensure by endorsement, Act 41 provides yet another option for the boards to consider applicants licensed in other jurisdictions and will help reduce unnecessary barriers for new residents, veterans, military spouses and other individuals who wish to move to and work in Pennsylvania. Under Act 41, the subcommittee will consider whether an applicant:

  • hold the same or similar license in another jurisdiction and the jurisdiction's licensing requirements are substantially equivalent to those required in Pennsylvania.

  • are in good standing with the other jurisdiction.

  • demonstrate competency in the occupation or profession; and

  • meet other administrative and background requirements [21 - Act 41 requires that the applicant hold a current license from another state, territory or country whose licensing requirements are substantially equivalent to Pennsylvania's requirements.  An applicant will also have to demonstrate competency and satisfy several additional requirements as set forth in Act 41.]

For applications that do not initially satisfy all of Act 41's requirements, the boards may (but are not required to) issue a "provisional license" in appropriate situations which will allow an applicant to practice while fulfilling additional requirements for licensure.

https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/Pages/50-State-Comparison-Report.aspx

100

A person with this type of license may be sought out by a person who wants to keep their beloved pet with them forever.

What is a taxidermy license?

100

You can sell your own items on eBay, but to sell items for your friends requires this type of license issued by the State Board of Auctioneers.

What is a trading assistant license? 

200

This licensed professional with an average salary of $78,805 must hold a master’s degree and pass a four hour exam to provide therapeutic services and techniques to promote the mental, social and behavioral health of individuals and communities?

What is a licensed social worker? 63 P.S. § 1907. 

The General Assembly last updated the Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act in 2018, which among other things, allowing social workers to diagnose psychosocial disabilities and impairments. Act 76 of 2018.​​​​
200

Sam wants to become a bartender after hearing how lucrative it can be. Must Sam receive a license from the BPOA to work as a bartender?

What is NO. The BPOA does not license bartenders. Usually, individuals wanting to be bartenders must complete a RAMP certification prior to selling and handling alcohol.

200

On July 1, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law Act 53 of 2020, which made sweeping changes to the occupational licensing rules that govern the use of this kind of information in determining whether to grant, deny, suspend, or revoke a professional license.

What is criminal history information? 

With regard to the consideration of criminal convictions, Act 53:

  • Prohibits BPOA's licensing boards and commissions from denying licensure based on considerations of "good moral character," "crimes of moral turpitude," or "ethical or honest practice."

  • Requires each board and commission to develop and publish a schedule of criminal offenses that may constitute grounds to deny, suspend or revoke a license. The list must also identify which crimes are likely to pose a barrier to licensure because they are offenses "directly related" to the occupation/profession.

  • Provides for an "individualized assessment" of each license applicant using objective, detailed criteria that includes rehabilitation and public safety.

  • Provides a process for individuals who have criminal convictions to request a "preliminary determination" as to whether a particular conviction will be a bar to licensure. This new tool will enable people with criminal convictions to find out if their convictions would prevent them from getting a license − before enrolling in a training or educational program, before investing significant time and resources, and before formally applying for licensure.

https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/Pages/50-State-Comparison-Report.aspx

200
A farmer can call this type of licensee to remove a dead pig lying in a field.

What is a domestic animal dealer and hauler?

200

An applicant, to be eligible for examination for licensure as a registered nurse, shall furnish evidence that they have completed work equal to a standard high school course and has satisfactorily completed an approved program of professional nursing, including one of these two types of degrees or diploma nursing programs.

300

These medical professionals are trying to provide more patient care by advocating to eliminate the requirement to hold collaborative agreements with two physicians.

What are nurse practitioners?

The PA Coalition of Nurse Practitioners is pushing SB 25 to achieve this and other goals for “full practice authority" to expand their scope of practice, in light of their education and ability to provide care for which they were trained. Nurse practitioners often have to pay physicians thousands of dollars a month for these agreements. The PA Medical Society, which represents doctors, says this threatens patient health and safety because they don’t have the same education as doctors. 

300

Members of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the oldest minority business association in the Americas, are licensed in Pennsylvania under the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act (63 P.S. § 455.101 et seq.) and are referred to using this term.

Who are "realtists"?

300

Since 2020, this quality, which is a requirement for naturalization as a U.S. citizen, may not be considered in determining whether an individual qualifies for a professional license.

What is good moral character? 63 Pa.C.S.A. § 3113.

300

The primary way to receive a Social Work license in PA by examination is to hold this type of degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited school, and passed the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Master’s Examination.

400

Under the Optometric Practice and Licensure Act, an ophthalmologist may perform services an optometrist may not, including this service that was the highlight of debate when the General Assembly clarified its meaning in 2020.

Optometrists cannot perform “surgery” under the Act, but what that means defines the care they can give. There is a shortage of ophthalmologists in PA, so optometrists wanted to expand “surgery” to serve more people. Ophthalmologists argued they had several more years of education and experience. instead wanting to restrict it further by claiming anything that touched the eye is “surgery.” Ultimately, “surgery” was updated to include but not be limited to diagnostic, exploratory, palliative, therapeutic, rehabilitative, cosmetic, reconstructive, refractive, light-based or laser surgery/therapy. Act 99 of 2020.

400

Hopefully, a person has this license if they are disposing of a human body for you. 

What is funeral director? 

400

After receiving ARD, a licensee must do provide this to the licensee's professional board. 

What is notice? 63 Pa.C.S.A. § 3104.

500

In response to a shortage of barber-teachers, the House passed HB 327 in October to make changes to this Act.

What is the Barber License Act? 

HB 327 makes several changes pertaining to barber-teachers, including lowering the age and minimum training requirements, state license reciprocity, allowing barbers who are also cosmetology teachers to a barber-teacher license, allowing barber-teachers to supervise unlicensed individuals shampooing hair, and removing the requirement for barber shops who employ a cosmetologists to also have a barber-manager. 

500

In Ladd v. Real Estate Commission of Pennsylvania (230 A.3d 1096 (May 19, 2020)), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that managers of short term rentals booked through this and other online listing services are not subject to the Real Estate Licensing and Registration Act. 63 P.S. § 455.101, et seq.

What is AirBnB?

500

The Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs does not allow an individual to practice as a health care practitioner if the individual has been convicted of this type of offense.

What is a sexual offense? 63 Pa. Stat. Sec. 3113(d).